A Game of Thirst
by alyssss
Summary: Hunger Games/Twilight Cross-Over. Bella, Edward, Jasper, Alice and Jacob end up in the arena- along with 2 other werewolves. But, only one will get out alive. Who will it be- and out of hundreds of 'children' and 12 Districts- how did so many of the tributes end up coming from the same family?
1. Chapter 1

_21.12.12 - Alice_

"Alice? Alice? What did you see?" Edward's voice is panicked, shaking my shoulder. I want to tell him but I can't look him in the eye- my mind still seeing the future, the horror.

"Alice?" Carlisle enters the room and puts his hand on my shoulder. His warm skin- to me, anyway- brings me back to the present and I take my head out of my hands.

My mouth drops open as I try to speak, and I feel my red lipstick catch on my teeth. "The end of the world." I whisper. My eyes are still empty, the echoes of the destruction rife in my brain. "Riots, war, bombs, fire. The lot." Carlisle looks at Edward- the whole family (apart from Bella) are still finding it difficult to trust me after I ran off and left them to their own devices for a while. What they don't understand is that I did it to help them, to protect them.

"She's telling the truth." Edward murmurs, his eyes reflecting what mine must show. Emmet looks at us both incredulously but then the same look enters his eyes, and one by one around the room the same thing happens, until all of us are sitting here with that same horrified look in our eyes. Edward puts his head in his hands and runs his fingers through his bronze hair. A line of sunlight peeks through the curtains on the far side of the room and hits Bella's skin, diamonds glitter around her.

"What can we do?" She murmurs, tears pricking her eyes. She looks over at Renesmee, who's sitting on her own in the corner; on her laptop, listening to music at full blast and unaware of what's going on in the room. Being a typical teenager, then.

"Nothing." I croak. "Just wait it out. I can't see what happens here- the werewolves must be involved. We should prepare to…. Escape somewhere for a while, to hide out. Somewhere calm that won't fall, that won't succumb to the pressure." I look at Carlisle and he shakes his head. "Somewhere calm… it's not going to happen. I've lived long enough to learn that humans are much like sheep- they follow what the rest of them do. Very few humans will resist the temptation and those that can will be, hopefully, the ones in charge. It would be impossible to…"

A loud 'crash' sounds from outside and everyone looks towards me again.

"Werewolves."

"We can't hide amongst humans, we need to find a place in the middle of nowhere, with nobody around, where we can hide until all this blows over. I have no doubt that, as we would be the only 'humans' in the area not participating, we would be a…. target." As he finished speaking, Jacob burst through the door. "Nice of you to wait until I'd finished." Carlisle steps forward and grabs Jacob's hand, shaking it warmly with a false smile on his lips. Renesmee removes her headphones from her ears and looks up. Bugger.

"You're leaving, aren't you?" He looks at Bella with a pained look on his face, still panting and sweating from his run.

"Do you mind? You're sweating all over our carpet." Rosalie sneers, but a sympathetic look enters her eyes and a sad smile emerges on her lips.

"Yes, we're leaving." Esme walks over to Carlisle and wraps her arm around his waist. Jasper grabs my hand and takes control of the emotions running high in the room. It's important we get away from everyone for his sake, really. Happy or indifferent emotions, they're easy for him to ignore… but anger and rage. It'll send him nuts. "It's dangerous for us to stay here much longer." She looks at me, then at Jasper. She's obviously thinking the same thing that I am. "You will be welcome to visit once we are settled- so long as you don't decide to partake in….."

"In what?" Jacob roars. I feel Jasper tense beside me as the emotions in the room rise and he struggles to control them. I can't take it anymore.

"The end is nigh, to quote whoever it was. What everyone was saying about the Mayan calendar? Well it wasn't going to happen, it hasn't happened and it isn't going to happen. So… everyone has decided to take matters into their own hands, so to speak." I grab the remote from the coffee table and point it at the TV. The news report I saw flickers onto the screen and Jacob sits down beside me. Normally it would make me uncomfortable; being this close to a werewolf, but Jasper is still in control.

"Shi… Crap." Jacob says, biting his lip. Renesmee gets to her feet and runs to his side, looking over his broad shoulder at the TV. He reaches up and grabs her hand and I see Bella shudder, but she smiles at the sight regardless- then sets her eyes on the TV and her expression to one of worry. Jasper watches too, and I feel his hold on our emotions loosen as his own rage out of control.

"London is burning. Unfortunately, so are many other major cities across the world." I close my eyes. I've already seen this once; I don't want to watch it again. "New York, Los Angeles, Shanghai, Istanbul, Beijing, Tokyo and Moscow are all in uproar, while the White House remains powerless. The President is reported to be panicking inside a cupboard while riots start outside his home, and other main buildings of power across the world." Pictures of burning cities and fire flash on the screen, explosions and death and fighting everywhere. Police throw aside their riot shields and join in the fight against power, and nobody can understand why all this is happening.

"We have to get out of here." Carlisle is standing by the door leading to the steps to the garage, with a collection of bags and suitcases. Everyone nods and rushes off to pack their own bags, and we return in seconds. Jacob just stands there, watching and defenceless. Renesmee takes hold of his hand and I know she's saying goodbye. She leans forward and kisses him, still holding his hand, then breaks away and goes to join her parents. All at once we turn, run down the steps to the garage and leap into our cars. And like a supernatural convoy- we flee.

_(This section is from an overall view, rather than that of a single character)_

The four cars speed across the plains, past empty houses and sending dust flying into the air. Edward's face is set, his eyes staring out over the desolate landscape, driving while Bella stares absently out of the window and Renesmee twirls her hair, biting her lip. Rosalie drives as Emmet talks to Esme on the phone, Esme talks to Emmet as Carlisle drives. Alice tries to see what is happening and where while Jasper drives, and listens to Esme and Emmet, ready to interject when Alice sees. Finally they come to a small house, hidden in some trees at the edge of the Rocky Mountains, away from civilisation. Everyone clambers out of the cars and looks at their new home- nobody is impressed. The cottage has a few small rooms, but barely enough room to house all of the vampires. "It was mine, when I was alone." Carlisle says, answering the unspoken questions. "I took it to be away from humans while I studied, to hunt animals without being seen, to learn control. It'll do for a hideout. There's a plentiful supply of animals to hunt, and no humans. We have forever to live, so we can lie low for as long as it takes." He walks forwards, kicks open the door and steps into the dark house.


	2. Chapter 2

_Bella_

"Open up! We know you're in there!" Voices of men bang on the door and we all jump to our feet, preparing ourselves. We'd heard the sound of an approaching engine, but thought it was just Edward, coming back. It wasn't. Alice bites her lips and hides her face. She saw this, she saw it.

"Why didn't you warn us?" Rosalie hisses.

"I didn't see!" Alice cries, sobbing and shaking. Carlisle glares at Rose and helps Alice to her feet, as I answer the door.

"Jake?" My voice goes high pitched, gets caught in my throat, as I see who is with him, and what he is holding. The tanned… man, who is the boyfriend of my daughter, is standing at the door holding a gun, and flanked not by Sam and the others, but by police and army members, and all of them are armed. Carlisle comes to my side and though shock flickers across his face, he doesn't let it show. "Ah, Jacob. It's been a long time- a few years anyway. How is your father?" The shock on my face is nothing compared to the shock on his.

"You know these criminals?" The officer next to Jacob grabs his shoulder and turns him around to face him. "You know what that would mean? That you were helping to harbour these fugitives and face the same punishment as they do?" Jacob is too shocked to defend himself and is stripped of his gun and bulletproof vest, then made to stand with us. The other officer takes his place and cocks his gun.

"We're going to need you guys to come with us- all of you." He adds, as he looks into the house and sees the entire family huddled around the fireplace, pretending to be trying to keep warm. He points the gun at us and we move. Though a bullet could do us no harm, being discovered wouldn't be too great either. Jacob clambers into the truck first, with a scowl on his face. Inside the truck are more people like us, wearing ragged clothes and looking very pale, in the same situation. The whole family clambers into the truck and we sit silent, though our thoughts are raging. Renesmee takes Jacob's hand and strokes it, resting her head on his shoulder.

"Where are we going?" She whispers, after the door is shut and we are left in the dark.

"District 12." He answers, pulling her close to him. "Well, District 12 for most of us, but some of us will end up in District 3." I hear him exhale heavily and bite my lip.

"I'm sorry Jacob." I murmur. Carlisle squeezes my knee reassuringly and I feel him lean forward to do the same to Alice.

"It's okay, you didn't know." He whispers, and despite the darkness I swear he's smiling at me, laughing at me. The engine of the truck starts and with a jolt, we begin moving. A thought enters my mind and I try to push it away, but it's lodged itself into my frontal lobe and won't budge- where is Edward?

Hours pass and with every minute, I become more and more stressed and worried. Jasper tries to calm me down but he can't do so when he is this stressed without calming everyone else down, all the humans, and if he does that then they'll figure out things aren't exactly how they seem- and so I have to cope.

By the time the truck grinds to a halt, I have bitten into and re-healed my lip about 50 times. I feel Carlisle shift uncomfortably beside me and breathe out heavily. I wonder if he's been holding his breath all the way here. "Everyone on this side of the truck, get up and get out." I squint through the dark at the officer and wonder if it is night- but then realise it's just raining. Carlisle has stood up, and so has the stranger on the other side of me, so I too get to my feet. We shuffle from the truck and I expect the officer to order the other side out of the truck too, but they close the door and lock it, and the officer points his gun at us. "Move." The position of his lips barely changes and his command is no more than a whisper, but we all hear it. I grab Carlisle and Jaspers hands and we walk with the crowd towards a square where another group of people is already assembled.

The rain pounds down on us as we stand in the square- everyone else is shivering so we copy, and I can't see anyone else apart from Jasper and Carlisle. I try and think who is stuck in the truck, and who is here, but a loudspeaker sounds and our attention is diverted up to the stage. I notice that we're outside a town hall, and everything is grey. And I mean, everything. The person with the microphone is a little round, but looks just as intimidating as the officers with guns. Although he isn't armed- there are plenty of officials who are. "Welcome to District 12. As some of you will be aware, America is no more. What many of you have done these past years is live out in the open, isolated and alone, and we have allowed that. But with recent rebellion, we have decided that every person in this country is to live in one of the 12 remaining districts. I will allow you all a few minutes to find any family members that you arrived with-it'll make housing you easier. However if you have found yourself stuck here with no other family members, that you have somehow gotten separated or have no family, then please form a group here under the stage and you will be assigned a house and family to lodge with."

I grip Carlisle's hand harder, so much that my nails begin to dig into his skin and he gasps in pain, but does not object. Jasper looks around and Rosalie pushes through the crowds over to us but that's it. We're alone. Officials walk past the groups taking names down and after just ten minutes we're assigned a house, given the key and sent on our way. The house is a two-story thing, with two rooms on the bottom floor and two rooms on the top floor- plus a bathroom. Rosalie looks at in even more disgust that she looked the other house with, but then she's lived plenty of time in luxury, I suppose she's not used to living rough. Though looking at the house, it's not really a problem. There are four of us- none of us need to eat or sleep, or use the toilet or any of those silly human things, so really it's not that bad. I point this out to the others and Jasper and Rose nod in agreement but Carlisle's face is set. "It's bad, Bella. Very bad." A knock on the door diverts our attention and I turn to answer it- it can hardly be as bad as last time I opened a door, can it? An official stands at the door with a bundle and thrusts it into my hands.

"Your clothes and your monthly grain allowance." He grunts, and then walks away.

"Pleasant." I mumble, as I unfold the grey mass of cloth that is my new wardrobe. Somehow I think I'd prefer Alice's creations. Alice. Panic grips me. "Carlisle. The others. What…"

"You heard what Jacob said, district 3." He replies, his face still set as he looks at the dull shirt and overalls on the kitchen table.

"What about Edward?" If I could cry, tears would have flooded the kitchen. Jasper controls my emotions and calms me down- it's going to be helpful having him around.

"I don't know." Is the only answer I get, and it's not enough, so I explore the rest of the house. A door from the kitchen leads to the living room and the stairs. The living room has a fireplace set in one wall and three couches in the middle of the room, around a wooden coffee table. The room has no windows. Upstairs is much the same. The front bedroom has one small window on the front wall and a double bed. The back bedroom has no window, and another double bed. Sheets are folded on both of the beds but there's no sign of anything else. The bathroom contains a cracked toilet, a sink and a bathtub. I return downstairs in time for a second knock on the door. Carlisle answers it this time.

"Hello there. Yes, I understand. Of course, they're very welcome. We'll manage." The door shuts and I walk back into the kitchen to find out what happened. A small family of bedraggled humans- sorry, people- were standing by the door, looking at us with wide eyes and fearful faces. I smile at them and move to join Jasper and Rose at the kitchen table. "This is the Smith family. The district has run out of houses so we are having to share until they build more. Despite wanting to control us all, they so seem to be bothered about our welfare." He turns back to our new housemates and smiles. "I'm sure we can work out some kind of arrangement, come to some kind of deal. We will not require use of all the rooms in this house and none of us can eat grain- so you are very welcome to our share." He points to our sack of grain on the table. Another sack of grain lies at their feet and they look at us with question in their eyes but Carlisle smiles in a friendly manner and some kind of look in his eyes persuades them to smile too, despite everything.

I approach the family and ignore the stinging in my nose as the scent of blood reaches me. The youngest child- there's two, two little girls- moves away from me and hides behind her mother's legs. "I'm Emma. This is Steve, and these are our children, Anna and Louise." The woman extends her hand to me and I shake it politely. She shivers and I remember how cold Edward's skin used to be against mine. Edward. I push the thought out of my mind and kneel to the height of the children- seeing as I'm the one out of our 'family' who is closest to their age, really.

"Shall we go and explore our new house while we leave the grown-ups to talk?" I extend my hands to them and they look up at their parents with wide eyes. Steve and Emma nod and the girls step forward hesitantly, each taking one of my hands. The smaller one, Louise, has blonde hair tied into pigtails behind her ears. Her sister Anna has brown hair in the same style. Both of them are very pale and skinny, as though they've not had any food even before they got here. My stomach contracts a little as I remember the little human things that I now don't have to cope with, but that these people do. We walk through to the living room and the girls walk around cautiously, examining the furniture. When they've had enough, they come over and this time, willingly take my hand.

"You're very pwetty." Louise says from my side, as I help her up the stairs. The way she speaks makes me smile and feel a little tingle inside me.

"Not as pretty as you two princesses." I reply, pointing out the bathroom and the two bedrooms. "I'm sure the adults have finished now." Even though it's probably barely been five minutes, I feel strange being alone with these two children. When we get downstairs, the adults have moved to the sitting room and are conversing like old friends. I'm a little grateful that they get on but still… worried about how we're going to do this. I can almost hear all the whirrs of the cogs inside Carlisle's brain as they turn and overheat trying to figure our way out of this. The letterbox in the front door clatters and I walk through the kitchen to retrieve the envelope that has fluttered to the floor.

"We've got mail!" I holler, opening it and walking back through to the front room. "Welcome to District 12. You have been given a change of clothes and your monthly supply of grain. In the next 24 hours, please change out of your 'old' clothes and deposit them in the bin in the town square. In exchange you will be given six more sets of clothing and some fruit. All male members of the household aged 14 or over are required to report to a place of work and apply for a job within the next week, or your household's next grain allowance will be lessened. All residents will report to the town square on June 12th at 2pm for the Reaping. Any residents that do not attend will be disposed of. Formal dress is required. Signed, the Mayor." Immediately I regret reading the letter out loud. Carlisle puts his hand out for the letter and I place it in his palm, and wonder why I'm not more worried than I should be- then I look at Jasper, who winks at me.

June 12th arrives more quickly than if we had not been anticipating it. We awoke and dressed as usual and Carlisle, Jasper and Steve all left for a half-day at work. Louise and Anna were in the living room playing with toys Rose and I had fashioned for them and Emma and I were baking bread in the kitchen while Rose made sure our clothes were prepared. Carlisle and Steve work together in the mines, but Jasper joined the special group that is allowed to hunt. He takes some blood from each of the animals he kills and stores it for us- this is the only thing that keeps us going. The men all return at the same time and go to the bathroom to wash. Rose and I go upstairs to one of the bedrooms to change our clothes while Emma re-plaits Louise and Anna's hair. We take our time but still get back downstairs before everyone is ready. Rose walks to by Jasper's belt on the hook and takes two vials of blood from it, which we down in one and replace. Fox blood today- not that it matters. Just as we replace the empty vials the rest of the household enters the kitchen. Emma is wearing a pale blue dress to match mine and Rosalie's. Anna and Louise are wearing matching pink dresses and Carlisle, Jasper and Steve are all wearing pressed black trousers and crisp white shirts. We all wear brown leather shoes, the only pair of shoes we own- the money the men have made has almost all gone on our clothes and food. Rosalie takes my hand and we step through the door into the street. For once it isn't raining, but the sky is still grey. It always is here, but I still see it as an omen.


	3. Chapter 3

_Bella _

Droplets of rain start to fall from the darkening grey clouds overhead as walk down the street, and then even more heavily as we wait to enter the square. Everyone between 11 and 18 is directed toward the front of the square and made to stand in lines- boys on one side and girls on the other. All the adults and young children stand behind, but everyone looks up at the stage. Rosalie and Carlisle both registered as over 20s, so they stand at the back, but Jasper and I are pushed to the front with all the other teenagers, and we don't even know why we're here, or what the reaping is.

The mayor (who we recognise from our first day here) stands up on the stage with another old man and some more soldiers with guns. Two huge fish-bowls full of slips of paper sit on podiums on the stage. The mayor begins speaking but I'm so busy thinking about the fish bowls I don't hear much of what he says. Then the old guy steps forward and stands in-between the two bowls, holding a microphone. "Welcome to the very first day of the reaping. As Lord Tena just explained, District 13 rebelled against the Capitol and was destroyed. To stop this happening again in the future, we brought all of you into districts and developed the Hunger Games. One boy and one girl from each of the twelve remaining districts will be chosen to participate in these games and fight till the death. There can only be one winner."

I bite my lip and watch the fish-bowls anxiously as he reaches into the one on his left and draws out a slip of paper. "Bella Cullen." The people surrounding me turn in my direction and my ears pick up the gasps of Carlisle, Rosalie and Jasper. Numbly I step past the rest of the girls and young women to the aisle in the middle, then walk to the stage. I don't even know what I'm stepping into. The man shakes my hand and smiles at me, and I try to smile back but it comes out as a sort of grimace. Edward always said I was hopeless at lying. Edward. I stand on the stage and look out over the crowd. Wow, this is our district. A quick bit of maths tells me there's hundreds standing here, watching me. Plus anyone watching on their televisions or the giant screens in their own district squares…. So basically all of Panem. I remind myself to breathe and fidget and not to move too fast, as the man puts his hand in the other bowl and pulls out a second slip of paper. "Jasper Cullen.*" I watch Jasper walk towards the stage and stand stiffly beside me. "Oh, do we have a brother and sister here?" The man asks, looking between us. Jasper nods stiffly then reaches out and takes my hand, stroking it softly and reassuringly. Using this contact, he keeps us both calm. "Are there any people willing to take the place of these two tributes?" Nobody moves, nobody speaks up. "Then in that case, The Games have begun. May the odds be ever in your favour, Bella and Jasper Cullen." The men with guns approach us and push us towards the back of the stage to the entrance to the mayor's house. We are taken to a highly-furnished room and told to sit down, to say our goodbyes to Carlisle and Rose I suppose. And as I expected, they enter. Our goodbyes seem to take no time at all, even for vampires, and before we know it we're dragged out of the back of the mayor's house and herded into a car, which drives us to a train station. The train is already in the station and the man who called our names is waiting for us. He takes my hand and helps me up the steps and onto the train, then lets Jasper follow me, climbs into the train himself and lets the door shut behind him. The train begins to move and the reality of what is happening sinks in, and we are going to either die or be found out and then killed, and our lives are over, and I will never again see Edward or Renesmee or Jacob or… or anyone I love, ever. It's just me and Jasper from here on out, and at least one of us isn't going to survive this.

Jasper keeps hold of my hand and forces me down on a seat in the first carriage we come to. The man follows us and extends his hand again. "Just incase you didn't catch it earlier, my name is Desmond Tiny. I'm just like you, but for the duration of the games I will be your mentor. I will be in charge of sponsors and such- as this is the first games and nobody has an actual mentor who has already competed. I must say, you two look promising, you really do. I think you'll do well." We don't shake his hand. "It's not vital, but I think you might want to get changed. Further down the train there are compartments for each of you which contain a bed and a variety of clothes to choose from. It might be a good idea to take advantage of these facilities while you can. Lunch will be served in three hours, and I urge you to attend so that we may get to know each other a little more."

I get up and walk down the train. The next carriage contains a bar and some seats with tables, which I suppose is where we will eat dinner. The next carriage contains a compartment with Jasper's name on the door, and he gives me a quick hug and enters, drawing the blinds down on the windows after him and locking the door. I walk to the next carriage where I find my compartment, and enter. I too lock the door and draw the blinds, and walk over to the dresser which sits against the wall under the window. The top drawer contains an assortment of underwear in all sorts of sizes, and I grab a plain black bra and thong because they're the first thing I see. The next drawer down contains some dresses and I take them out and unfold them, examining their shapes and colours and looking at the size, but there is only one that would fit me- a white dress that comes to my knees and has a high neck-line and no sleeves. The next drawer contains shirts and the one below it skirts and trousers and I'm stuck for choice, so I grab some black skinny jeans and a vest top, then a jumper a few sizes too big. I get changed and leave my old clothes in a pile on the floor, scrunched into a ball. It's not like I'll need them again. Looking in the mirror I realise I look just like the old Bella- the human Bella. Alice would have a fit, but I cast her out of my mind again and head back to see Desmond.

Jasper is sitting across from John by the bar with a martini in his hand, but he's not drinking it. Desmond looks like he's already had a few. I want to join them but feel like I'm intruding, but then Jasper gets up and comes over to me. He hugs me and then turns to Desmond. "We're going to go and watch TV- see the other tributes being chosen." He says. He's wearing blue jeans and a white shirt and it smells as though he's had a shower. I don't blame him. We walk to the first carriage we entered and I notice the TV on the wall. Jasper runs over to it and turns it on- the only thing to watch is the Games so there isn't a remote. He grabs my arm and pushes me down onto the seats like he did before, then sits next to me. The reapings are all over, and are all replaying over and over again for anyone who missed them.

The tributes for District 1 look strong, and are called Chloe and James. District 2 are quite pale and called Cady and Paul. Jasper stops breathing when the Panem crest appears again and the screen changes to District 3. The first name called is Alice and she stands and shakily walks to the stage. She refuses to shake the hand of the grim reaper (my genius name for the official who calls our fate) and just stands on the stage, looking across the crowd and biting her lip. The male tribute is Jacob and I feel like crying. Our family has all the luck. The camera scans the crowd and I spot Renesmee standing alone amongst the rest of the girls, but Esme and Emmett are hidden amongst the sea of adults standing in the back. The seal of Panem comes back onto the screen and District four comes up, followed by District 5. In every district, we scan the crowd for Edward but don't see him. District 9 flashes up on the screen and the grim reaper pulls out the name of the female tribute- Kenzie- and then moves onto the male tribute. It's Edward. If blood ran through my veins, it'd run cold. If my heart was beating, it'd have stopped. Because Edward was reaped, and all this time he's been in District 9. And he's okay, for now, but 5 out of the 24 tributes are immortal. And only we 5 know how to destroy each other, and they will expect us all to die. Jasper is frozen next to me, gazing at the screen. I lean into him and I want so desperately to suggest we leave- the train's got to stop sometime, we could just run away and hide somewhere, so easily, but before I even say it he shakes his head. "No Bella." And I know he's thinking about Alice. He wants to be with her again even if it means death, and I have to admit that's how I'm feeling about Edward.


	4. Chapter 4

Jasper

The time in the training centre goes without much comment. There were no warm welcomes or smiles between Alice and I, or between Bella and Edward or between Jacob and any of us, because we know it's going to come down to one thing- killing each other. None of the other tributes are going to be able to manage it, so it'll be down to us. Though none of the training itself is televised, we keep our skills to a minimum, play down our strength and speed and act generally human. For the final part of training, where we're ranked in order of how strong we are and have chance to show off our talents without the other tributes knowing what we are capable of, we all acted the same- just hovering around different stalls and showing off with a few bits of equipment. We all ended up with less than 5 in the game makers assessment, knowing we won't need sponsors and keeping our abilities dumbed down completely.

The morning of the games arrives. I leave my room and walk to breakfast where I meet Bella, but as usual we don't eat. We've already agreed- in private, of course- to pretend to befriend Edward, Jacob and Alice. Of course, there's a chance Jacob, being a werewolf, will ignore our offer and try to kill us, in which case he'll have to be dealt with- but he won't be able to shift into a werewolf, so his abilities are limited. After breakfast we're separated and lead to our prep teams. My skin and hair is perfect as usual and my prep team can't bear to touch me anyway so they just hand me my clothes and tell me to get dressed. I strip off, put on the thermal underwear, the cloth trousers and shirt, and tie the belt around my waist. There is a pair of socks tucked into the pockets, so I put them on then slid my feet into the waiting shoes. The clothes should give me some kind of idea of what I should expect, but my mind is focussed on Alice, always focussed on Alice. I step onto a metal circle in the floor and ready myself. A glass tube lowers itself around me and the metal circle begins to move, sending me skywards.

Alice

I can't take this, it's sending me crazy. Knowing. Of course I can't see anything Jacob does and that worries me, but knowing what everyone else does to eachother, the violence. Most things I see revolve around Jasper, and how I miss him. He managed to pass a message to me in our final training session that we're all going to become allies, and Jacob says Bella told him the same. Bella keeps away from Edward a lot of the time, but when they're together she completely loses her focus. I don't blame her, it's hard for me to be around Jasper too. We've been apart for so long and though it doesn't beat my heart aches for the past, because I know there isn't going to be a future.

I enter a small dark room with a table that has some clothes laid out on it and a circle of metal on the floor. My prep team is nowhere to be seen- the only sign of their existence being a slip of paper sticking out of the shoes. "Sorry we can't be here, get yourself dressed and stand on the disk ASAP, wait to arrive in the arena and don't move off your circle until the cannon sounds- the ground is mined." Oh great, explosives. Not that I didn't already see that, mind. I take off my training centre clothes and change into the equally as vile arena clothes, tempted to leave off the thermals but knowing it'll look strange if I do. When I'm done, I walk to the circle and stand in the middle. I expect to have to wait for ages but almost immediately a glass cylinder encloses me and I start moving upwards, towards the arena.

Bella

Keeping away from Edward is difficult. We have only spoken once or twice and I have just about managed to convey the message of alliance, but it seems he has been targeted by a few of the careers. It's okay though because he'll side with us, and we'll work this all out.

My prep team just point to a crumpled heap of clothes which look pretty much like the ones we wear in our district, and I dress myself. Thermals, so the arena's probably going to be cold. Not that it matters, really. I stand on the circle bit of metal on the floor by the prep team and smile at them, but they don't smile back. My eyes sting and they've gone red so I imagine they're slightly scared, but I can manage. A glass cylinder encloses me and the disk begins to move upwards. Time to go.

Edward

I try my best to stay distant from Bella but she draws me closer, her scent and blankness as ever intriguing. Every now and again she peels back her shield and lets me into her mind, and I see just how much she loves me and I fall for her all over again.

The day of the games, I enter my prep room and the team is nowhere to be seen. I grab the clothes on the desk and put them on, then stand around for a bit. A glass cylinder encloses me and I panic for a minute, but then realise I'm standing on a metal disk which starts to move upwards as the room disappears and I enter a dark tunnel. The glass vanishes and my fingers run along the dark stone- accidently clawing out lines where my fingernails cut into the rock. Oops. I feel a gust of wind hit me and I realise I'm outside, in the arena, ready.

Jacob

I don't want to do this, to participate. I grudgingly pull my clothes on and my prep team help me get it over my muscles, undeterred by my heat. They've no hope for me in the arena, I see it in their face. They guide me onto a circle and glass circles me, keeping me there. The disk moves upwards and I emerge in the arena, and it's time to go.

Cady

The arena uniform is itchy and but light, and sticks to my skin which is clammy with nerves. The prep team guide me onto the disk in the centre of the wedge-shaped room with sad looks on their faces and a glass cylinder closes around me. They wave goodbye and I rise up through a tunnel, emerging in the arena, a gust of wind tells me that, but it's still as dark as it was in the tunnel, and I can't see anything, or feel anything but the wind. I'ts pitch black, and I stay on my disk. A cannon blasts and I panic.

Everyone is still; the only thing that moves is the wind, which is coming from behind the tributes. All at once, the tributes turn on their disks and look behind them they see a small light and realise they're in a cave. A few tributes step off their disk but fall into the darkness, screaming. They each land with a loud thump and the remaining tributes hold their breaths, but no cannon fires. Everyone jumps off their disks when a loud 'whoop' sounds from below and the sound of fighting begins. The vampires take advantage of the darkness and run at their usual pace to the pile of weapons, taking everything they can carry and running towards the semi-circle of light which is now at eye level. The remaining tributes fight, four fall and do not get back to their feet. Four blasts from the cannon echo around the cave, and three tributes shake hands and laugh. Allies, the strongest of the humans, against the team of supernatural beings. The humans search around with their hands and each find a torch, shining it around to see who is left, and who is gone. The four vampires- and Jacob- are a few feet from the mouth of the cave, their silhouettes highlighted, black against the white. One of the remaining humans is Cady, pale and thin next to the two stronger boys, their next target.


	5. Chapter 5

Edward

By the time we reach the end of the cave, our clothes are soaked through with the moisture from the air. As soon as we emerge in the dull sunlight our skin begins to glimmer, but not sparkle- not yet. We all embrace, because finally we are free. The capitol can hurt us here but we can escape it, and as long as fire doesn't turn up, well, we'll be fine. Bella clutches to me, not letting me go, and I want to do the same, but I prise her arms from around me and sit on the edge of the ledge we find ourselves on, my legs dangling over the 100 foot drop below. Jasper is gasping and inhaling the fresh air, the smell of human blood still scares him, he still can't quite control his hunger, but he's doing well. The others sit beside me and I think of something we can do, some way we can escape. The only thing I can think of it to find the edge- the arena can't go on forever- and everyone else seems to be thinking the same thing. I get back up, nod to the others and we begin to descend the wall of rock towards the barren white landscape below. Just as my head almost vanishes over the side, a pair of feet emerges from the cave. I stop and look up, inhaling the sweet, sweet smell of human blood.

Cady

I don't want to be left with the careers so I run through the tunnel towards the light, as fast as my legs will carry me. The blood of the tributes I killed stains my hands. I killed them, oh god I killed them. I killed them. I'm… I'm a murderer. I almost collapse but persuade my legs to keep going, but the only sound I hear is the steady pounding of my boots against the stone floor. Nobody following me, nobody approaching me from the entrance, nobody hunting me. The closer I get to the end of the tunnel the more I hear of the outside world. The tributes that got away before the fight are gathered at the end of the tunnel and I know I can't fight them. The tributes I left at the cornucopia start shouting and running along the tunnel- they've formed an alliance and I'm all alone. So I can either get killed by the tributes behind me or possibly befriend but probably get killed by the tributes in front of me. I don't much fancy my chances with the guys I left at the cornucopia and quite frankly if I'm going to die I'd rather at least have a chance. The first thing I see as I step out of the cave is a white, barren landscape, no other tributes or anywhere to make shelter up until the forest, which is about a mile away. A mile of open range, and I'm sure the tributes at the cornucopia have some sort of projectile. Guns or bows and arrows or grenades. Then I notice something, a pair of amber eyes peaking over the edge of the ledge of rock, watching me. I gasp and almost fall backwards but in a flash there is a set of arms wrapped around my shoulders, keeping me up. Looking behind me, I see the same set of molten caramel eyes, and when I look at the ledge and they aren't there… "If you're going to kill me, get it over with." I say flatly, kind of mesmerised by his eyes. Somehow I don't think I'd care if they were the last things I ever saw. A buzzing takes me and the stranger by surprise and we look up into the sky above our heads. A remote control helicopter hovers above us, a camera strapped to the underside. Several more pairs of eyes appear over the ledge and look up at the 'copter, the same bemused expression on their faces.

"Relax, we won't kill you. Not yet, anyway." He winks and something flashes across his eyes, a memory, a thought. The cold wind whips around us and threatens to push us- and the watching pairs of eyes- off the edge of the cliff.

"Edward." One of the voices belonging to one of the pairs of eyes says. I realise it was a girl that spoke, and try and wrestle myself free of his arms. Edward… His skin is freezing and rock solid and I can't move his arms. For a moment I wonder if he's trying to suffocate me but then he lets go and takes a step back, looking into the cave. "Come on, let's go." I notice that the voice that has spoken is now not just a pair of eyes, but actually belongs to someone. A beautiful someone. Her eyes have a slight red tinge to them like she hasn't slept in days, but somehow she's still breathtakingly gorgeous.

"Climb on my back." Edward says, turning his back on me and holding out his hands for me to jump into. I hesitate and he shoots me a glance which I can't say no to. Then he jumps, smashes the camera against the wall of the cliff and lands again… on the ground, 100 feet below where we were just standing and knee-deep in snow. How…. I don't know. In less than a second the others are beside us- all except one who is still by the cliff-side… at least it looks like that until I realise that he's getting bigger and that he's actually running towards us. Holy….

I realise that I'm still on Edward's back and try to climb down but he hold onto me tight and once again I'm trapped. "Hi, I'm Alice." One of the pretty girls steps forward and takes my hand, which is the only part of my body I can move. "This is Jasper," She points to a blond man who is looking around him, thinking. "He used to be in the army… this is kind of his expertise. This is Bella." She steps to the other female, the one who called the one with the caramel eyes Edward. "She's Edward's girlfriend, and a mean fighter. Also, she has no sense of fashion." I stifle a giggle- we're all wearing exactly the same clothes- and look questioningly at the darker shape in the distance, melting his way through the snow towards us. "And this," The panting man appears at their side, his clothes stretched tightly around his shoulders. "Is Jacob." Edward lets me down- then tucks me under his arm and hands me to Jacob. Jake. His brown hair is sticking to his forehead with sweat as he picks me up and slings me over his shoulder. "So Edward, I already know we're going to the woods but where now?"

"Stop showing off, Alice." Joseph? No, Jasper. That's the one. His eyes are kind of red too; in fact, the only one who looks well rested is Edward. Jacob too, but not in the same way.

Edward storms off towards the woods as Jacob swings me onto his back and begins to carry me forward, sprinting after the others. It takes only a few minutes to reach the woods and once we're under the cover of the trees, we stop. Jacob breathes heavily but the others don't seem out of breath at all, which is insane. "What are you?" I take steps back, away from the mysterious beings.

"We're…" Bella begins, looking at Edwards and biting her lip. "Not like you." I take another step back, I know what they are, they're monsters.

The forest explodes, flames and dirt flying around them. A loud scream pierces the air, sobbing, gasping hungrily at the burning air, and then silence. The dirt falls, leaves and sticks and flaming forest debris dropping to the ground, the vampires expertly dodging them. A crater in the ground next to a tree, blood splattered up the silvery bark. "Cady?" A hoarse whisper, worried about what they might find. Jasper's nose tingles and he looks about, then walks a few steps to the left, careful about where he treads. A head, eyes open and unseeing. A torso, bloody, the tribute clothes torn and burnt. No legs, blasted off in the explosion. The vampire reaches down, pressing his fingers against the neck of the girl, feeling no pulse. The sweet tempting smell of blood fills his nose, the tendrils of scent snaking into his lungs, enticing his taste buds.

"Let's get out of here." He says to the others, walking backwards away from the body, closing his eyes against the image. "Watch where you step."


	6. Chapter 6

As they walk through the forest, the vampires pounce on various animals with such speed that they are often nothing more than blurry shapes. The werewolf in his human form is weak, unable to digest raw flesh and getting hungrier and more exhausted the further they walk. As night falls, they decided to make camp.

Carlisle

They make it out of the cave, are followed by a human tribute. They take down a camera, Edward crushing it in his fist. When they are next caught, they are a mile into the forest, making camp. Edward scouts around again and crushes more cameras, but misses one, and this is the one that watches them now. My mind aches, my heart actually hurts. I can't come up with a plan, and even if I could- how could I tell them what to do? I know deep down that I won't be able to save my family, that the best I can do is hope they all die- so that I don't have to face the murderer of my friends.

The chances of this happening are astronomical… billions, more than that, to one. Rosalie rests her hand on my shoulder as she stands behind me, watching the footage of Jacob roasting the blood-drained animal carcasses. My blood- metaphorically speaking- chills as I realise that sooner or later, they will fail to hold off their urges to consume human blood. Sooner or later, they will succumb to the temptation; their morals won't matter, quenching their thirst the only thing on their minds.

Esme, my poor, beautiful Esme. Stuck in District 3 looking after Emmett and Renesmee… and Renesmee, her parents trapped in that arena- one or both sure to die by the end of this thing, unless my so-called-brilliant mind can come up with a way to save them. Hopelessness inflates inside me like a balloon, and I put my face in my hands. Emma, sitting beside me on the sofa, rests her hand on my knee and strokes it softly. "I'm so, so sorry you're going through this." She says, tears pricking her eyes as she watches Bella stumble around the camp, on guard while the others 'sleep'. Bella freezes, her lips move as she whispers something to the others. They get to their feet, shaking their bodies of 'sleep', brushing the leaves and bugs from their clothes.

A tribute stumbles into their clearing, bloody and tired. She collapses next to Jacob- who is still asleep, snoring too loudly to hear what the others are saying. Alice kicks him and he sits up immediately, a little confused, and then groans when he remembers where they are. He rolls over, curling in on himself. His shoulders shake as he sobs silently, the others faces turn stony with envy.

"Kenzie." Edward murmurs, taking a cautious step forwards. Wary, the others take light steps forward until they surround her in a circle. Edward, always caring, kneels next to the female tribute from his district and rolls her onto her back. Blood coats her arms and a deep cut on her forehead drips more onto her face, but most of the blood on her clothes and skin comes from elsewhere, some other tribute. They don't know, but we do. Rose looks worried, whispers to Edward not to trust her.

My eyes mist over again as my mind returns to Esme. What is she doing right now? Is she watching, is she fretting about this as much as I am? Is she thinking of me? A plan hatches in the back of my mind. It's crazy, it wouldn't benefit those in the arena… but for me and Rose? It might work. Emma gets up to go to bed. Steve is upstairs with the children, reading. Emma refuses to let them watch, especially as any day now we could be watching Bella and Jasper go up in flames. I pull Rosalie into Emma's vacated space and turn to face her.

"I have a plan, but it's insane. We could get shot, we could get caught, and we could get killed. We most likely will get shot, will get killed, but it might be worth a try. How bad do you want to see Emmett, Renesmee and Esme?"


	7. Chapter 7

Edward

I roll her over and inhale deeply. At least 4 different types of blood. I dip my finger in the blood on her forehead and smell it- her scent. The rest of the blood… other tributes. "What do we do guys? She's dangerous."

"Not to us." Bella crouches beside me, watching Kenzie breathe. "She didn't attack us when she got here, just passed out- but she saw us, she looked right at me. So she trusts us, right?"

"Maybe she thinks we'll take her on as an ally. There's a big group of us, we're all strong. She probably thinks she'll be protected with us- she didn't attack us because she knows she wouldn't have a chance." Jasper stands a few metres away with Alice, neither trusting themselves to come closer with so much human blood there. I don't blame them.

Kenzie's hair is long and brown, soft curls with golden highlights. Her eyes, though now shut, I know to be brown. She looks so much like Renesmee here, I can't bear to look at her smeared with human blood, the blood of the people she has killed. The freckles across her nose wrinkle as her nose twitches, her eyelids flutter. And I don't know what we're supposed to do.

"Can we trust her?" Bella sits astride her, pinning her body to the forest floor. "Edward, does she know?"

Jasper

Edward's face goes dark, his mood changes, he becomes stressed, ashamed. He nods, looking away. "In the training centre… it was so… I just..." Bella looks at him with disappointment in her eyes, Alice turns her face away. Jacob rolls over, sits up and sends a piercing glare his way. I drop my head, knowing. "You don't understand." His face is anguished now, contorted with pain. "9, it's all grain. There's… there's nothing else, for miles and miles. It's heavily guarded- I mean, heavily. You work in the field all the day, steal even a tiny little bit of grain and you get shot. At the end of the day you get a cup of grain, that's your pay, your meal for the day. _There is nothing else_." I know what's coming and all of a sudden I don't want to hear it. "I had to… to live. There were no animals, no stray pets I could steal, not even rats. The restraint… I… Had to sneak into people's houses… drink… from humans.

"Sometimes I couldn't stop. Once, twice… I went too far. That's when I learnt- I had to do it every night, just take a sip. A different house all the time, dashing all over the district. In the training centre, there was only her. She noticed after the second time- two different mysterious cuts on her body? She knows. After that she let me- she'd heard the rumours in town, after the deaths. She was okay with it so long as I didn't kill her. It was… I had to do it, to live."

"So we have to kill her?" Jacob, heartless as ever. He sits with his hands on his knees, his shirt crumpled on the floor.

"She can live- for now. If she decides to fight us- she dies. Bella, get up. Leave her be. We don't kill unless we are attacked- deal? Ideally we wouldn't kill at all but… the Capitol want us all killed. Pick off the humans while we form a plan, if we fail to form an escape plan… we're going to have to arrange something among ourselves." I look to Alice, to Edward and Bella and over to Jacob.

Esme

Renesmee, no longer a teenager but now a young woman, lies exhausted on the couch. The human blood in her system succumbing to the vampire venom, weakening her before she gets the strength of a new-born. "I want Bella." She mumbles into the cushion, clutching her stomach as the venom eats at her organs, starting to freeze the toughened muscle.

"I know sweetie." I stroke her head, brushing the hair off her forehead. The TV in the corner flickers on and Emmett comes into the room, home from working at the train station, hauling crates of metal and wires onto trucks to be transported. He sits on the armchair, the only other furniture in the tiny room. "How about you go to bed?" The capitol seal flickers onto the screen and I don't want her to watch this, unsure of what horrors from the arena will be shown today. She shakes her head and rolls over to face the TV. Instead of arguing, I lift her up and sit on the seat next to her, resting her head in my lap and stroking her cheek as the seal fades out and the presenter starts talking.

We don't take in anything he says, just wait for the cameras to find our family. Sitting with another human, different to the one before. More footage shows, an explosion in the forest and flaming dirt flying everywhere. Every member of the family recoils, and then they find the human, half her body just lying in the mud, blood going everywhere. The game is real. Renesmee gasps and covers her mouth with her hand, tears pricking at her eyes. She watches in wonder as Edward clutches Bella's hand and pulls her through the forest, this footage live. Alice and Jasper also walk hand in hand, as though their hands are tied together with impossibly strong rope. Jacob has the human on his back and Renesmee's eyes narrow in envy. I don't blame her.

They emerge on the edge of the barren landscape again, the square mile of flat land with zero shelter. The sun shines, glistening slightly off their skin. Noticing, they step back into the shadows. Figures sit in a circle on the ledge, the careers. "Alice?" Edward whispers, afraid of his voice travelling across the land.

Alice's reply is barely audible, the microphone only just sensitive enough to capture it. "Wolves."

**The careers camp on the cave ledge, looking out over the barren landscape. Flakes of snow begin to drift down but they do not yet retreat to the safety of the cave. Both from District 1, Paul from District 2, and both from District 5. "We should move inside." Chloe says, picking up her rucksack and throwing it over her back.**

"**Go ahead." Paul says, standing up and moving near the edge of the cliff. "I need to speak to James. Alone." He sends a telling glare to the two tributes from 5, then another to James. The other tributes retreat to the safety of the cave, James moves to stand by his side. "Vampires." He whispers, malice in his voice. James cackles and grins, excited. "They've got a human with them- and a wolf." The laughing gets louder. He howls.**

"**I think it's time we got rid of our friends from 5." He says, grinning. James, with his ashy blonde hair and straight nose, muscly shoulders and long legs- easily the better looking of the two, but ready to step aside and let Paul take the lead. Paul nods in agreement, his too-long brown hair flopping over his eyes. He puts his hand in his pockets as James ducks into the cave and brings out the two tributes from 5.**

"**Helen, Dan. Look over there- by the trees. You see anything?" The two tributes from 5 step closer to the edge of the cliff, squinting to see the six tiny shapes against the dark trees. The tributes aren't even given time to answer before Paul takes a step forward and pushes them both in the small of the back- hard. They trip and fall, landing in a heap in the thin layer of snow at the base of the cliff. A cannon fires twice. James gives Paul an enthusiastic high-five, and the pair duck into the cave to sit with Chloe.**


	8. Chapter 8

Alice

"How many are left?" Edward stops in his tracks and turns to face the rest of the group. We tot up all the cannons from the last few days, but none of us are quite sure. We're walking back through the forest- we don't need to be fighting off werewolves just yet. Especially ones that throw their allies from the top of a hundred-foot-cliff.

"Including us, or not including us?" Jasper says, stepping forward. "I estimate that there is 14 tributes left, including us." Edward is happy with the answer and walks on, his eyes wildly scanning the forest. My nose tingles and everyone else's must too, because we all stop- somebody else, another human, is close. Kenzie looks between us all, puzzled.

"Are all of you… like Edward?" She clicks her fingers nervously, begins chewing on her dirt encrusted nails.

I flit to mere centimetres before her and hiss. Her terrified yelp is just too funny and I fall to the ground laughing. "Don't worry, we're vegetarians."

"Guys stop messing around." It's Edward, still jumpy, still edging forwards. A rumbling sounds in the distance and we all exchange glances- actually worried now. Humans, we can deal with. Werewolves too, to a certain extent. Natural disaster? We can survive that. But that rumbling sounded like some kind of explosion- a big one- and explosions mean one thing to us. Fire. A cannon fires- tribute numbers down to 13.

Moving faster now, bashing aside branches and leaping nimbly over brambles and roots. After a hundred metres or so, we come across a trail of blood. Kenzie sees it rather than smells it, her senses not as developed as ours, but her eyes light up just the same. She reaches out, rubbing her fingers against the blood on a tree trunk. When she takes her hand away, the blood is wet, fresh. Edward marches onward, his amber eyes darting about wildly for the injured tribute. He finds him in no time, slumped at the bottom of a tree.

His hands press on a wound to his stomach, his shirt wrapped around another wound on his leg. The boy's face is contorted in pain, he looks little more than 12 years old, tears trickling down his blood stained cheeks. "Please." His voice is a forced whisper, straining to get his words out. "Kill me, quickly." His voice rusty, his body wracked by painful sobs.

I look to Bella, kneeling on the floor beside him with her hand resting on his shoulder, rubbing him, soothing him. Edward stands awkwardly, looking away from the scene. Jasper looks pretty much like Edward, though a little worried that there's now only half of the original tributes left- and half of those remaining being our group. I bite my lip and look to Jacob, but his eyes are closed and I know he can't do it. Finally I turn to Kenzie, already pulling a knife from her belt and stepping forward. I am unable to hide the horror in my eyes as she approaches the dying boy. "District?" She says, cradling her knife in both hands like it's a trophy. His reply is barely audible, even to us.

"Seven." His eyes close again, scrunched up tight against pain and certain death. Bella lets go of his shoulder and comes to stand next to me, facing the other way, looking into the trees. A short cry, a cannon sounds. When we turn back his neck is slit open, blood dribbling down his bare chest. Kenzie wipes the bloody knife on a leaf plucked from the nearest tree and slides it back into the sheath on her belt.

We walk ahead a few miles, sticking close to the edge of the forest until we become parallel to the cliff. A ledge runs across the rocky wall halfway up, another cave mouth not far away. Jasper finds a large enough clearing and piles together a load of sticks and leaves for a fire. Edward and Bella dash off into the trees to take down the cameras and grab some meat, while Jacob snaps some thick branches from some trees and puts them in a circle around the fire. The meat- a collection of foxes and squirrels along with a small wolf- is not much, but it will keep us going. We rip into the carcasses with our nails, sucking at the warm, oozing blood. Once they are sucked dry, we hand them to Jacob to cook for Kenzie and himself, but before they can even get the fire lit the rumbling we heard earlier sounds again, closer this time. Animals dash through the clearing, come face-to-face with the cliff and yelp in terror, running left and right. The air starts to get warmer, fills with smoke. I start to panic as ashes flutter down from the sky, flames appear in the forest beyond, roaring towards us far too quick to be natural.

Everyone jumps to their feet, eyes wild. Jasper is the only one functioning enough to think, to instruct. "JACOB, GRAB KENZIE. UP THE CLIFF, NOW. GO!" The rest of us follow his instructions, but Jacob struggles to climb the rock with Kenzie swinging like a rag doll from around his neck. I clamber down again to where Jacob is, fingertips clutching at a tiny rock outcropping, feet dug into holes in the rock. Kenzie climbs across onto my back while smoke fills my eyes, my head spins as scorching ashes enter my lungs and start burning me from the inside. Without Kenzie weighing him down, Jacob rushes up the rock like a human(ish) spider. I stick my hands up blindly clawing at rock, scraping away layers to make new hand and foot holds to haul myself up.

Edward

The entire forest is burning, as far as we can see. Fire moving slowly where it's almost burned itself out or where the trees are thinner, but too fast here. The flames lick at the evergreens near the bottom of the cliff, sending ashes and smoke floating up towards us. Alice throws herself back down the cliff to help Jacob while we press ourselves against the wall, actually afraid. When Jacob hauls himself over the edge of the cliff panting and choking, with no sign of Alice or Kenzie, I rush forwards and lie on my front, my head dangling over the edge of the cliff. Black hair emerges from the fire, Alice blinding clawing her way up the cliff. I put my hand out for her to grab, stretching out as far as I can.

Her foot slips, the other follows. Kenzie, clutching desperately to Alice's back like a spider monkey baby, screams. Alice's fingers slip on the rock outcropping and she's still too far away for me to reach. She coughs and I shout at her to take my hand. Opening her eyes, she sees me and reaches upwards- a mistake. Her other hand slips and she floats in mid-air for a moment, shock and dread registering in her eyes, before she falls down into the hell below. Choking on the smoke, I push myself back across the ledge until my back touches the wall, then pull my legs to my chest and sob into my knees.

Bella

Alice and Kenzie scream. I dash to the edge just in time to see them fall into the fire. A cannon sounds, then silence but for the crackling of the fire, the creaking of branches as they fall from the trees. Edward sobs behind me, but I tell myself that Alice is okay, that the cannon was just for Kenzie. I hate myself for thinking that, being ready to sacrifice a human if it meant that my sister-in-law survived. Another cannon sounds and I sob, covering my mouth with my hands, my eyes wide with realisation. Jacob puts his hand on my back and guides me away from the cliff edge, standing me next to Edward- who is curling into a ball sobbing, his face contorted in grief, his body shaking with pain and loss. I join him.

Jasper

My beautiful Alice, gone in a pillar of smoke. I stand in shock for a moment while it registers, my eyes wide, mouth wide open. A third cannon fires, a fourth, a fifth. I am certain that Alice is gone, died trying to save the life of a murdering human. Kenzie not only killed the District 7 boy and three others, but also my beautiful girlfriend, my soul mate, the reason for my existence. My immortal heart rips in my chest, broken forever, irreparable. The sobs come in waves, I claw at the rock with my fingernails, etching deep grooves in the stone as I rock back and forth on my knees. Alice…

**Chloe sits on the ledge outside the cave, laughing. The fire spreads from the middle of the forest right around both sides. Five cannons fire but she is under no doubt that Paul and James are safe. As predicted, they clamber up the side of the cliff and collapse on the ledge, howling with laughter. They started the fire in the middle of the forest, then in different places all along. Before long, they hit a pod and the section of forest burst into flame. **

**It spread fast, burning everything in its path until it hit another pod, unleashing fiendfyre- extra hot and extra fast. Deadly. Killing 5 tributes in the space of 10 minutes, quicker even than the bloodbath. Paul and James high-five and sit back to admire their handiwork. 5 down, 5 to go, and then the epic showdown. James studies Chloe and then Paul, determining which would be easier to take down. Chloe most certainly the easiest, the first to die. And then a one-on-one with Paul to finish off the job, before he goes home to District 1, to riches and fame, eternal memory. The winner of the first annual Hunger Games.**


	9. Chapter 9

Rosalie

On the day we try and escape, District 12 has sunshine. It's like the world is plotting against us. Carlisle and I link arms as we walk down the street, my ankle-length skirt flapping around my ankles. He holds my parasol over us both as we walk, shielding our skin from the sun's rays. The square is full of peacekeepers, though the large screen that shows the games is- for now- blank. We're the only 'couple' in the entire district not working, time off granted as a result of our 'children' being set to the games. We pick up our grain allowance from the square and Carlisle thanks the peacekeeper, though what we have to thank him for is beyond me. Our eyes are red, our stomachs growling with the thirst. It's hard to stay around Steve and Emma and the children like this, so hungry, scared of accidently… killing.

The sack of grain under his arm, Carlisle hands the parasol back to me and we head back to the house. We arrive back just in time for the noon update, the last we'll see of our family for now, perhaps forever.

It shows Bella and Edward destroying the cameras, questioning why they do it. They've teamed up with another human, show flashbacks of her murdering her fellow tributes. And then it shows two boys, old in terms of tributes, lighting fires at the edge of the forest. The fires creep through the trees and hit things called pods, causing explosions. Another fire hits another pod, triggering a fireball, blasting through the woods at the speed of a flitting vampire. We're on the edge of our seats as they run from death and scramble up the wall of the cliff. Our whole family is safe, barring Jacob, who has the human clinging to his back. The smoke surrounds them and blocks them from view, the next scene is Alice climbing back down the cliff into the cloud of smoke- to help Jacob. Jacob emerges from the smoke, ends up on the ledge coughing and spluttering while the others watch for Alice's return. She emerges from the cloud, the girl on her back. Her feet slip, she tries to reach Edwards outstretched arm and falls. Cannons fire, our family falls apart. Everyone sobs, even Jacob. Jasper does nothing to control the mood- the camera shows his golden eyes as his heart rips in two. Alice.

The screen flickers back to the presenter. My arms are wrapped around my knees, my red eyes staring blankly at the screen as they read out the names of all who have died.

Carlisle

Alice falls and I fall with her, tumbling into an endless black hole of sorrow. As my family cry, I feel the pain of every blistering needle that pierces their hearts, the tears being ripped in their hearts. My sobs come in waves as they show the footage, again and again. Jasper is the worst, his pain showing in his eyes. We have to escape this hell. We have to save my family.

They start reading out the names of the tributes, stating whether they are alive or dead.

"Disrict 1:  
>Chloe Tankersley- Alive.<br>James Clark- Alive.  
>District 2:<br>Cady Fiennes- Dead.  
>Paul Karamazov- Alive.<br>District 3:  
>Alice Cullen…"<p>

The presenters fall silent, the whole of Panem stops breathing, ceases to exist. "Alive." The world is set in motion again, the crushing weight of hopelessness is lifted off my back and I am elated, thankful. "How she survived that… I guess we'll find out as soon as that smoke clears Ted. Now…" I smile, but am not relieved. The pain I felt, even just with the thought… when something actually happens, I cannot bear to even think how that will feel. "Jacob Black- Alive." The others pass in a blur, my mind fuzzy with Alice's survival.  
>"District 9:<br>Kenzie Gresh- Dead.  
>Edward Cullen- Alive.<br>District 10:  
>Lian Kennedy- Dead.<br>John Bohjalian- Dead.  
>District 11:<br>Keri Oldham- Dead.  
>Robert Blume- Dead.<br>District 12:  
>Bella Cullen- Alive.<br>Jasper Cullen- Alive."

My family, all safe- for now. But they will move on without Alice, who is alive somewhere, they won't know. Edward, Edward might know, or he might think he's imagining things, hearing the thoughts of the other tributes… The pain comes back and I know we have to leave immediately. The update finishes and the screen goes blank. I turn to Rose, her cheeks stained with tears, her chest rising and falling far too much for someone who barely needs to breathe. She looks back at me and nods, understanding. I scrawl a note to Emma and Steve, reminding them that the grain is theirs, not telling them exactly where we're going but making it clear that they won't see us again.

We walk through town, the parasol held over our heads again. Some men are on their way home from work to watch the mid-afternoon update. They nod in my direction as we hurry past them, keeping our heads low as we pass the swarms of peacekeepers in the square. Through the newer houses, cramped even closer together than ours, the Seam they call it, everyone living there on coal-miners wages, poor. I wish for our old house on the Olympic Peninsula, even the damn graduation gown display, my job in the hospital, our endless fortune, but I know it's all gone. This is America now. Our home, our life.

We slip through the electric fence and tumble down the hill so quickly that no peacekeepers see us escape. We lie hidden in the bushes for a few minutes, not getting our hopes up but not losing them either- escape, easy as that, hundreds of miles of fields and forest before us. America, the land of freedom.


	10. Chapter 10

Edward

The pain passes with time, the realisation that we're out in the open, a target, takes over. I am the first to pull myself together- barring Jacob who never really fell apart in the first place. Reaching down, I pull Bella and Jasper to their feet beside me and pull them close to my body. A reminder that though Alice is gone, we are still together, we can escape this. I have to hold Jasper's arm as we walk along the narrow ledge, to stop him from throwing himself off the cliff after Alice. The ledge widens out and we stop to look around.

The entire forest is blackened, not one tree remains green. Tendrils of smoke still lift from the branches, the acrid burning smell filling our noses, burning away at our lungs. The realisation that Carlisle and Rosalie and Esme and Emmett and Renesmee will have watched Alice die hits me. The fact that they watched us all fall apart, that knowledge alone is too much to bear. The fact that only one of us will return home, and even then after killing the rest, and they will watch it unfold, and everyone in the districts will know who we are and how to get rid of us.

My emotions run high again and I turn away from the others, panting with the effort of holding back my tears. A small hand buries itself in mine, squeezing it softly. "Come on Edward." Bella sniffs and drags me forward until we reach the mouth to the cave. The Capitol seal flickers in the darkening sky, the first time we've been out of the trees enough to see it. The faces of the fallen tributes glow, and we all wait for Alice's face to show- but it doesn't. For a moment I think we've missed it but then Jasper leaps to his feet and begins scaling down the side of the cliff. I lie on the the ledge and look down at him, danger flashing in my eyes.

"She's alive, Edward. I'm going to get her." His voice trembles and in a second he's gone, landing like cat on the charred forest floor and running back down the length of the cliff.

"I just don't understand how we all ended up in here." Jacob says, sitting in the mouth of the cave and leaning against the wall. His massive form takes up most of the entrance, his shirt shredded and crumpled. He rests his head back against the stone and looks over at me, expecting me to know the answer.

"I don't know Jacob."

Alice

The air is clear down here, right on the ground. My body shakes, the fall enough to break my bones, to actually hurt me. The pain is something I haven't felt in centuries- and something I don't want to feel for centuries to come, but I am alive. Kenzie lies a few feet away, her remains charred and broken. I thank whatever God there is that I missed the flames and grit my teeth as my body starts to heal itself, the vampire cells quickly multiplying to stick my bones back together.

The smoke begins to clear and I look up at the cliff edge for signs of Jasper and Edward and Bella and Jacob. Three figures walk along the ridge but their figures are different, and I know they're the Career group the werewolves. They pass the spot I fell from and nothing happens, no fight breaks out, no shouts of joy. They've moved on.

Getting to my feet, I start running on shaky half-healed legs towards the opening of the cave. I have to warn them. Someone zooms past me, sending a cloud of dirt and ashes spiralling up into my face. In a split second they're on top of me, pinning me to the floor and sobbing into my chest. "Hey Jasper." I gasp, winded.

"I thought…" I stroke his messy blonde hair and just lie there for a moment, relaxed even in this living hell- and then I remember.

"Jasper we have to warn the others. The wolves… they're heading that way. I think it's only us and them left now." I see his brain working as he leaps to his feet.

"Can you flit?" Nodding, I run forwards, following the line of the cliff. He zooms into me, scooping me up and holding me in his arms. "Not fast enough." The still-smoky air whips my face as we move, racing against the careers. When we reach the cliff edge Jasper puts me on his back and climbs like a monkey, swinging from hand-hold to hand-hold, digging holes in the cliff face where needed. "Wolves incoming." He pants at Edward, rolling up his sleeves and turning to face the opening to the ledge.

Edward and Bella stand, Jacob rolls inside the cave and when he returns, is in wolf form. I stand beside Jasper, my limbs still shaking but ready for a fight.

Esme

The fear over Alice vanishes- but our family is now in a fight with werewolves in an arena where only one can come out alive. The camera zooms in on them as they adjust their stance to fight. Suddenly an explanation, a reason for all of this occurs to me. "Renesmee, get up. You too Emmett. We have to get Carlisle."

Carlisle

Rose and I run through the night, hunting animals and draining them of blood, stealing their strength and using it to our advantage. The scent of Esme gets closer and I find myself hungering for her, longing for her closeness. In the middle of a valley, we collide. Esme, Emmett and Renesmee, fleeing from district 3 to find us in 12, Rose and I fleeing from 12 to find them in 3.

We embrace, thankful to see each other again- but Esme soon cuts off the reunion and very seriously gathers us in a circle to tell us her ideas.

Renesmee

"The Volturi." Memories of my childhood flash by, when they thought I was an immortal child and almost killed me. We escaped that time, and they're getting their revenge by destroying our families.

"That doesn't explain Jacob…" Carlisle says, speaking with his hands. "How could the Volturi even organise this? Why would they do it?"

"Jacob- he was declared a law breaker. The capitol would want to get rid of him as soon as possible to stop him going further, doing worse. How do we even know if those reaping balls even contained other names? The Volturi hate us- the amount of times they've threatened us with death is insane, and this is just their way of getting their own back, don't you see? They're in the Capitol, determined to wipe out our family. We can't exist in this new world- we're immortal! It's so restricted, we can't move around. People would be sure to notice if we don't age a day in ten years!" Suddenly it all makes sense, and I agree with Esme. The chances of our family members being picked out of hundreds of entrants? Slim, too slim to have happened by coincidence.

Carlisle paces, approaching the river in the middle of the valley. "I… don't see why what you say can't be true. It's just… that's not everything, there's something else." He lies on the grass by the edge of the river and puts his hand into the cool water. I crouch beside him, taking his hand and showing him what we saw on the TV before we left. He leaps up and looks about wildly. "It's all we've got. Which way to the Capitol?"


	11. Chapter 11

Bella

The careers approach, my body tingles with anticipation with every step they take towards us. Alice adjusts her position, standing with one hand on her hip and examining the nails on the other. She winks at me and I take the hint, changing my stance so I'm examining the palms of my hands- their perfectness and lack of scars is still mystifying to me. Edward and Jasper also relax their stances, looking at us like we suddenly announced that we're giving up vegetarianism. Alice looks at Edward and he opens his mouth in understanding, coming to stand beside me with his hands in his pockets. Jasper still doesn't seem to understand and just kind of stands there looking bemused. Edward glowers at him and he puts his hands in his trousers, swaggering over to stand beside Alice like so many of the boys in our district do. The overwhelming urge to hit him comes over me and I lean back to face Jacob.

"Human form sweetie, element of surprise." I stand back up and look around the others to speak to Jasper. "And get your hands out of your pants, put them in your pockets or stand with your hands on your hips or crossed or something, anywhere but in your pants." He does as he's told and my heart swells with pride, the ability to dominate others. I sense the others getting closer and look at Alice again, but she seems confident.

"Bella honey, we're immortal. Unless they're… I don't know, _made out of fire_, we're gonna win." She switches hands to look at the rest of her nails, frowning when she finds her signature purple nail varnish is chipped on all fingers.

I stare, incredulous. "How…? We don't even have nice clothes, never mind nail varnish…"

"Stylist." She smiles fondly and stretches out both hands to admire both sets of nails as one.

The careers get closer and my nose starts to hurt from their scent- one wolf is bad enough but three at the same time? Ouch. Edward tenses a little beside me, the ripples of the air lapping against my skin as his muscles contract. Laughter is now audible, the sound of heavy clonking footsteps walking along the edge. I say goodbye to my soul. Edward told me before I was changed that it was unavoidable I would kill some humans at some point in my existence. Jacob stands behind Edward and I, his strong reassuring hand on my shoulder. Edward takes my hand and his amber eyes find mine.

The golden circles say so much more than words ever could, they always have, and I hope my eyes say the same. I withdraw the elastic sheath that blocks his powers and smile up at him as he hears my thoughts, sees how much I truly love him. As the careers turn the corner, I push out the barrier again- I can't let him get distracted.

**Chloe is the first to turn the corner, blonde and petite and would-be-innocent, if not for her blood-stained skin and ripped clothing. She smiles at Edward and winks, gazing at the vampires with wide eyes, her overly long eyelashes making her look like a startled deer. Alice does not look up from admiring her nails, still immersed in her own little world. Jacob moves in front of Bella just as Chloe's murderous gaze turns towards her. She flicks her blonde hair, pouts, and pulls a crossbow from behind her back. She clicks a steel-tipped arrow into place as James and Paul round the corner. A low growl emanates from the back of Jacob's throat. Paul laughs as he looks at James- his cackles sharp barks. James looks relatively unimpressed, looking each of the vampires up and down. He steps forward and nudges Jacob aside with his fingers, flicking at his arm until he moves a step to the left- now balancing on the very edge of the narrow ledge.**

** Cupping her chin softly with his burning hands, James lifts Bella's face and examines her stony features, turning her head this way and that. He slaps her cheek twice, gently, and steps back in line with Paul and Chloe, grinning. Lifting his arms, he stretches- even throwing in a little yawn. As he brings his arms down he shoves Chloe to one side and she stumbles towards the cliff edge. She yelps and trips over her own feet, falling down the side of the cliff like a rag doll and landing with a sickening crunch at the bottom, her head smashed open like a watermelon. **

** "No humans here to hold us back now." James grins, cocking his head to one side. His menacing eyes travel up and down the line, choosing a target, planning. His gaze stops and rests on Bella's face- his baneful mahogany eyes gazing at her honey-coloured irises. Edward follows his thoughts, sees the terrors James wishes to inflict upon her. He lashes out, marble fist connecting with the fiery jaw of death. James rubs the side of his mouth and pouts, stretching out his jaw a little and wincing. "And so the fight begins."**


	12. Chapter 12

**James morphs into his wolf form. As fur erupts from his skin and his muscles triple in size, his clothes fall from his changing body in tatters. He stretches out his front legs and howls, then jumps at Edward, aiming for his neck. Edward hits him in the chin with the palm of his hand as Paul morphs behind them. The shaggy werewolf jumps over the fight and lands with a skid in front of Bella, just as Jacob finishes morphing and jumps forward to join in the fight. Paul snaps at Jacob and swipes at him with his claws, drawing four bright red lines across his rump. Howling in pain, Jacob growls again and jumps at Paul- who clamps his jaws around Jacob's neck and throws him against the wall. He turns away, victorious, and meets Bella's eyes with a sinister glare.**

I adjust my stance, planting my feet further apart as Paul turns away from the defeated Jacob and starts padding across the rock towards me. Edward is still engaged in fighting James- and losing. Alice is dashing around the two of those, trying to find a space to jump in and slash James' throat with her razor sharp nails. Jasper stands behind me, keeping me calm and focused on the fight.

In a flash, Paul jumps forwards and rips my hand from the end of my arm. He spits it out on the rock and cocks his head to one side, like an innocent dog that just wants to play. Pain ripples up my arm as my body searches for the missing limb. I leap forward, rolling across the floor with my severed hand clutched to my chest as it stitches itself back to my arm. Instantly, Paul is above me. Strings of drool hang from his mouth, threatening to drip onto my face. He smells like burning and rotting flesh. It was him who burnt down the forest. Him who destroyed the arena, who caused this end.

His stinking body is hauled away from me as Jasper attacks, his hand stretched out straight. His hand plunges into the chest of the werewolf, his overgrown nails acting like a knife as he thrust himself forward. The wolf whimpers and limps to the wall, lying down and panting hard, defeated. But not for long- the huge wound begins to heal itself, vines of muscle stitching themselves together as we watch, horrified.

Jacob pulls himself away from the wall and lunges at Paul while he's down, clamping his jaws around his neck and biting down- hard. Paul's eyes bulge out of his skull as blood spurts from his jugular and across the white rock. As Jacob pulls back he spits the blood from his mouth and shakes out his shaggy mane, crouching down and preparing to lunge himself towards James.

Alice and Edward both circle him, while Jasper stands beside me wiping his hands on his trousers and calming the mood. As usual, Edward is trying to talk James out of it, trying to reason with him. James turns his back on him with a swish of his long tail and leaps at Alice, wrestling her to the ground and snarling in her face. I react quicker than Edward, and am on his back in an instant. I wrap my arms around his neck and pull hard, hearing the bones snap and break with my strength.

Edward looks at me as I climb from the back of the still beast, panting in exhilaration. Like there was another solution, another way out. "Come on, let's try and get out of here."

We walk across the ledge to a cave in the wall around the corner. The five of us stand in a row in the mouth. We exchange glances, and at the same time we take our first step forwards, ready to face whatever the Capitol throw at us next. Only one of us will make it out alive- and only one of us _is_ alive. Only Jacob's heart still beats.

I grip Jacob's hand on one side and Edward's on the other. Edward takes Alice's hand and she takes Jasper's, and all together we take another step forward so that we're all standing in complete darkness.

Another step.

And another.

And then nothing.

I move my weight forward and find myself falling into the earth, spiralling downwards into never ending darkness with Jacob on one side and Edward on the other, their vice-like grips rendering my hands useless as we plummet towards whatever fresh hell awaits us.


	13. Chapter 13 & Epilogue

**Carlisle stands alone before a row of thrones, his back to the room as Bella, Alice, Edward, Jacob and Jasper materialise above a stone rose made from tiny china tiles embedded in the floor. They hit the ground with a thump and groan as they push themselves off the tiles. Carlisle looks down at his hands, examining his perfect white skin. Esme rises from a couch at the far end of the room and flits over to the group, closely followed by Emmett, Renesmee and Rosalie. They embrace, then as a family turn to watch Carlisle. A door swings open on the left of the room and a line of Volturi march into the room, their black cloaks swirling behind them.**

**Aro, Caius, Marcus, Aro's wife Sulpicia, and Caius's wife Athenodora enter the room, followed by another man who the Cullens had never seen before. "This is Eoin." Aro says, as he walks up to Carlisle and warmly shakes his hand. "Now we have problems here… we can't afford to have immortal beings in Panem- in close knit societies such as those that now remain, being nomadic simply is not an option and it is all too likely that someone would quickly discover that you fail to age. And so we have two options. One, we can kill you here and now. End it all quickly and painlessly. Or, we can let Eoin work his magic."**

** Carlisle turns to face us, his features grave. He beckons them forwards and takes Esme by the hand, pulling her close to his rigid body. The rest of the Cullens follow, taking hold of the ones closest to them and standing in a line either side of Carlisle. "Explain to us, what this magic is."**

** "Eoin…" Caius begins, stepping forward to stand on the bottom step next to Aro. "Is a very special vampire. He possesses… a unique and invaluable skill. He has the ability to reverse the curse. To make you mortal again."**

** The Cullens freeze, silently thinking this over. The curse would be lifted, their thirst for blood banished. They would age again. Bella would finally see Edward grow old. They would live out the rest of their lives together like normal human beings. Carlisle releases Esme's hand and steps forward, kneeling on the stone floor at the feet of the looming Volturi. "I accept. I would rather grow old with my family than see them die when they have just so narrowly escaped death."**

** Simultaneously, the rest of the Cullens follow suit. They bow their heads and Eoin steps forwards, his pale hand outstretched. He rests his palm on the forehead of each of the Cullens in turn, closing his eyes as he steals their immortality. Jacob stands hopelessly behind them, his heart breaking as he realises his friends, his family will all leave him.**

** Each of the Cullens slump to the floor as the spirit of life is drained from them, colour rushing to their pale skin as their blood begins to move again.**

** When they all awake, they are mystified. Once again their blood flows through their bodies. Once again their hearts beat. Bella reaches out and rests her palm on Edward's chest, feeling for the first time the steady beating of his long-dead heart. Tears flood their eyes as they realise they are normal again, that they will no longer have to suffer this curse. The constant longing for blood banished, their eyes return to the soft greens and blues they once were. **

** Jacob rushes forward and embraces Renesmee, holding her head close to his chest. She smelled different. Human.**

** Epilogue**

**Alice**

Elise hides under the table, covering her face with her hands and giggling like a little sits at the kitchen table, playing with a selection of dolls. Jack and Charlie run around the garden out back, battling each other with long bumpy sticks from the woods on the edge of the district, and Antonia reads on a bench outside the back door.

Our human years have been happy ones, and we have finally learnt the true value of time- so that however much time we have left will be well spent. What makes me happiest of all is that Rose finally has her own child, and that we will all now get what we've always wanted- to be able to grow old with those we love. When you've been alive as long as we have, death is but the next greatest adventure.

Extra Info

Elise- Renesmee and Jacob's child. Age five.  
>Faye- Rose and Emmet's child. Age nine.<br>Jack- Alice and Jasper's child. Age ten.  
>Charlie- Bella and Edward's child. Age eight.<br>Antonia- Esme and Carlisle's child. Age seven.

All of the Cullens (And Jacob) live to good ages and die peaceful deaths. They leave a good legacy for their children, who grow up to become merchants and live in the town. Faye becomes a baker and begins the Mellark baking business when she marries Joe Mellark at age 24. Antonia follows in Carlisle's footsteps and becomes a healer- but ends this position when she meets (and falls in love with) Harry Smith, the butcher's son. Jack ends up co-owning the mines with Charlie and Elise marries the mayor's son, moving away from town and into the Justice Building.


End file.
